- EBRD Board of Directors sends delegation to Albania
- Board represents EBRD shareholder governments
- Mission to discuss EBRD strategic priorities, take stock of existing programmes
Representatives of the EBRD Board of Directors will visit Albania from 21 to 23 June 2023. The mission will discuss strategic priorities for EBRD investment.
The Bank’s current five-year strategy for Albania was adopted in February 2020. It details the following priorities:
- supporting governance improvements across the economy
- enhancing private-sector competitiveness and inclusion through wider access to finance and skills
- strengthening energy diversification and low-carbon transition.
The agenda for the visit includes meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, Minister of State and chief negotiator Majlinda Dhuka, Minister of Finance and Economy Delina Ibrahimaj, Governor of the Bank of Albania Gent Sejko, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, and representatives of the diplomatic community, businesses and civil society.
The Board directors represent one or more of the EBRD’s 73 shareholders, which include 71 countries plus the European Union and the European Investment Bank. The EBRD Board of Directors approves investment projects and the Bank’s strategies and policies.
The EBRD Board will be represented on this visit by:
- Wioletta Barwicka-Lofthouse, Director for Poland, Bulgaria and Albania (host director)
- Katherine Tuck, Director for Australia, Korea, New Zealand and Egypt (co-spokesperson)
- Caspar Veldkamp, Director for the Netherlands, China, Mongolia, North Macedonia and Armenia (co-spokesperson)
- Cagatay Imirgi, Director for Türkiye, Romania, Azerbaijan, Moldova and the Kyrgyz Republic
- Eva Cassel, Director for Sweden, Iceland and Estonia
- Jon Nicolaisen, Alternate Director for Finland, Norway, Latvia and Lebanon
- Andrew Smith, Alternate Director for Canada, Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia
- Lucian Isar, Alternate Director for Türkiye, Romania, Azerbaijan, Moldova and the Kyrgyz Republic
- Clement Seitz, Alternate Director for France.
The Bank’s senior management accompanying the mission will include Matteo Colangeli, Director, Regional Head of the Western Balkans; Ekaterina Solovova, Associate Director, Head of Albania; Oleg Levitin, Deputy Director, Head of Political Affairs; and Jessica Withers, Associate Director, Board and Institutional Affairs.
Since the start of its operations in Albania, the EBRD has invested €2 billion in the country’s economy, in the sustainable infrastructure, financial institutions, industry, commerce and agribusiness sectors. The current EBRD portfolio in Albania is €1.07 billion (60 projects), 56 per cent of which is in the private sector.
